BP shot down in attempt to block lawsuits

But the fine print in contracts it offered fishermen to help clean up the massive spill tells another story.

The company offered the idled fishermen a onetime payment of $5,000 to use their boats and labor to deploy booms to contain the spill. But, in exchange, the fishermen had to waive their right to sue BP for damages resulting from the spill. And, to add insult to injury, if they damaged their boats while deploying the booms, BP would not cover the damages.

The fishermen were thus presented with the choice of sitting idly by, unpaid, while oil ruined their catch, or helping protect their livelihood while also agreeing not to hold BP responsible for their potentially devastating losses.

They found a third way: a lawsuit. On Sunday, a Louisiana court insisted BP remove the offending language in contracts offered in that state, and this morning a federal court struck the language from all contracts related to the spill.